How much do gears change once ITM?

[Nikita]

It depends. If I get to the money with a decent stack I tighten up. Usually in tournaments, I play tight to start, then when the bubble comes close, I loosen up because people get scared to play (they are thinking about only making money, not making it deep), then once in the money, I go back to playing tight. Plus, having played slightly loose before the money, I have that image, so when switching to tight, I get more callers than I might have otherwise.

If I am short stacked when I hit the money, I usually do the all-in or fold play. If I double up, I can play tight again, if not, I am likely out with a small profit.